System of electrical distribution.



No. 706,608; Patented Aug. l2, I902.

C. P. STEINMETZ.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

(Application 1104 Jan. 9, 1901. Renewed Doc. 26, 1901.)

("0' Model.)

Witnesses Inventor. v

Charles P SGeinmetz,

Atty.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES P. STEINMETZ, OF SOIIENECTADY, NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF NElV YORK.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,608, dated August12, 1902.

Application filed January 2,1901. Renewed December 26, 1901. Serial No.87,323. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. STEINMETZ, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems ofElectrical Distribution, (Case No. 1,613,) of which the following is aspecification.

My presentinvention relates to certain improvements in transformingdevices of that class in which combinations of reactance devices ofopposite signssuch, for example, as ind uctance-coils and condensers-areused for changing alternating current at constant potential intoalternating current of constant volume, or the reverse. It hasheretofore been proposed to accomplish this result by connecting aninductance-coil and a condenser in series across the constant-potentialmains, the constant-current circuit which 00- operates therewith beingconnected in shunt to one or the other ofthese reactance devices. Thisarrangement has the objection that when in operation it causes awattless current to flow in the constantpotential mains. In accordancewith myinvention 1 provide means for compensating for this wattlesscurrent, thereby bringing the power factor of the constant-potentialcircuit back to unity or at least back to the value of the power factorin the constant-current circuit. This, as well as certain other featuresof my invention, will better be understood by refer-,

ence to the following detailed description of the same, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which I show twoarrangements of transforming devices embodying the features ofinyinvention.

At 1 I have indicated conventionally a source of alternating currentwhich is conveyed by suitable distritinting-conductors 2 and 3 to anydesired translating devices. Leads 4 5 convey current from the source,which in this case is of constant potential, to a triangular arrangementof reactances which constitutes means for transforming this constant-potential current into current of constant volume. Thisarrangement of reactances consists of an inductance-coil 6 and acondenser 7 of equal rcactance connected in.

series with each other across the leads et 5. An additionalinductance-coilS is connected directly across these leads. Aconstant-current consumption-circuit 9, including arclamps 10 of thedifferential type, is connected across the terminals of theinductance-coil 6.

Current traversing the condenser 7 and the inductance-coil 6 gives riseto an electromotive force across the terminals of the inductance-coil 6,which electromotive force is in quadrature with that across the leads 45 and varies in such a manner as to maintain a constant current in thecircuit 9. The condenser 7 being traversed by current flowing betweenthe constant-potential circuit and the constant-current circuit, givesrise to a wattless leading current in the constant-potential circuit.This is objectionable, since it reduces the power factor of the system.The inductance-coil 8, connected in shunt to the constant-potentialsystem, draws therefrom a wattless lagging current, which compensatesfor the leading current demanded by the condenser 7, thereby bringingthe power factor of the system back to its normal Value. I

In order to obtain a constant current in the circuit 9, it is necessarythat the inductance-coil 6 and the condenser 7 bear a certain fixedrelation to each other, this relation being such as to make thereactance of each equal to that of the other. As these reactances dependupon the frequency of the alternating current it is necessary thataccount should be taken of this fact in proportioning the same, as willbe readily understood by one skilled in the art.

The second set of transformin a aratus stant-potential. mains to thoconstant-current I00 circuit 12. This constant-current circuit 12 isshown as provided with translating devices consisting of arc-lamps 18 ofthe so-called shunt type, in which the regulating magnet or magnets areconnected in shunt to the arc. Unlike the differential arc-lamps shownat 10 in connection with the first transforming set the shunt-lamps areunstable in operation in a circuit of the character described unlessprovided with some ad junctive device for securing stability ofoperation. These shunt-lamps when the carbons are together possessscarcely any inductance, while when the carbons are drawn apart theshunt-magnets are included in circuit, thereby largely increasing theinductance of the lamp. Any movement therefore of the carbons varies theinductance in the constant-current circuit, and the transformingapparatus in its efforts to maintain constancy of current causes theregulating mechanism to alternately raise and lower the carbons of thelamp, which thus becomes unstable in operation. To insure stability, Iconnect in series in the constantcurrent circuit an inductance-coil 19,having a stable resistance. The tendency to fluctuate of current due topumping of the lamps is by the presence of this inductance-coil stronglysuppressed, thereby securing stability of operation of the lamps.

lVherever herein I speak of reactances of opposite sign,lmean toincludedevices which possess capacity and inductance,respectively. For thepurpose of illustration I have shown a condenser as t-ypifying a devicepossessing capacity and an inductance-coil as typifying a devicepossessing inductance; but it will be evident to those skilled in theart that other devices possessing these same qualities may beemployedsueh, for example, as polarization-cells, transformers with openmagnetic circuits, transformers with condensers in their secondaries,800.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

l. The combination of constant-potential mains, reactances of oppositesign connected in series across said mains, a consumptioncircuitoperatively connected across one of said reactances, and an additionalreactance operatively connected in shunt to said mains.

2. The combination of constant-potential mains, reactances of oppositesign connected in series across said mains, a consumptioncircuitconnected across one of said reactances of given sign, and a reactanceof opposite sign connected in shunt to said mains.

The combination ofsupply m'ains, reactances of opposite sign in seriesacross said mains, a constant-current circuit in shunt to one of saidreactances, and an additional reactance in shunt to said mains.

4E. The combination of constant-potential mains, reactances of oppositesign in series across said mains, a constant-current circuit in shunt toone of said reactances, and an additional reactance in shunt to saidmains.

The combination of a constant-potential circuit, a constant-currentcircuit, means for transferring energy between the two circuits,arc-lamps of the shunt type in series in the constant-current circuit,and an inductance device in series with said lamps.

6. The combination of a closed circuit in eluding in series threereactances two of which are of the same sign and the remaining one ofopposite sign, a constant-potential circuit shunted about one of saidreactances, and a constant-current circuit in shunt to another of saidreactances.

'7. The combination of a closed circuit including in series threereactances two of which are of different sign from the third, aeonstantpotential circuit connected in shunt to one of the tworeactances of the same sign, and a constant-current circuit in shunt tothe other of said two reactances of the same sign.

8. The combination of constant-potential mains, a condenser and aninductance device connected in series across said mains, a consumption-circuit operatively connected across said condenser, and aninductance device connected across said mains.

9. The combination of constant-potential mains, a condenser and aninductance device connected in series across said mains, a consumption-cireuitoperatively connected across said condenser, an inductancedevice in series in said consumption-circuit, and an inductance deviceconnected across said mains.

10. The combination of a constant-potential circuit, reactances ofopposite sign in series across said circuit, a consu mption-circuitconnected across one of said reactances and illeluding arc-lamps of theshunt type in series, and an inductance device in series in saideonsumptioireircuit.

11. The combination of a constant-potential circuit, reactances ofopposite sign in series across said circuit, aconsumption-circuitconnected across one of said reactances and includingarc-lamps of the shunt type, and an inductance device in series in saidconsumption-circuit.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day ofDecember, 1900.

CHARLES P. S'ITEINIVIE'IZ.

\Vi tn esses BENJAMIN 1 NULL, Emvnnn W rL'rJAMs, J r.

